We are planning a cruise this year on the Star Princess of the Princess Fleet. I understand the ship automatically charges dining room and cabin steward tips to your final bill for the services. My question is this? If a day goes by I do not wish to tip dining room stewards (because I didn't eat there all day) how does one deduct that days tip when it is automatically charged to your final bill?

If your cabin steward didn't do his job for a particular day; how do you deduct that tip from the final bill?

If this is the correct policy of Princess Cruise lines; perhaps I should find another cruise ship to go on.

Nick it is no need to fret. Easy does it. Go to the Purser's Office (Reception) and tell them to deduct any amount you wish from your tip charges. Or you can increase if you wish. Now that is said. All charged tips are devided amoung all servers. So My suggestion is. Have all your tip charges removed and give envelopes to the person or persons you wish. They should cooperate. They have for me. Hope this helps.
Ray

If you eat on the boat anywhere (if it be at the pizzeria, the horizon court, etc. . ) you should still tip for the day. Just because you don't physically eat in the dining room doesn't mean you should not tip.

It would surprise me if your room steward doesn't do his job. Most of the time I tip above and beyond because their work is so outstanding.

We just got back from the Sun Princess and the service provided by all staff was outstanding. With this form of tipping, it's in everyone's best interests to look after each passenger very well. In fact, the staff are watchdogs for each other. If one isn't pulling his/her weight, others will ensure they're brought into line, since that behaviour will have an effect on everyone's final pay.
Just as a piece of information, we had an opportunity to discuss this with Marion in the Horizon Court. Staff are paid $50.00 per month - that's right - per month! Out of that is deducted $17.00 per month for medical insurance. That leaves each employee with an actual paycheck of $33.00 per month. They exist for the term of their contract on the tips from passengers. It's in their own best interests to give you the best possible service - and believe me, they certainly did for us!
Hope this helps a bit, Nick! I strongly suspect you'll be increasing your tips, not deducting!

We just got back from our first cruise. We found all of the waitstaff to be wonderful. One night I wasn't able to go down to dinner because I was sick. I wouldn't dream of not tipping our waiter the night we chose not to go down. These guys make practically nothing and are from countries where their families make practically nothing. They depend on these tips for their livelihood. They have 7 month contracts and work very long hours each day. They put up with unreasonable demands from crazy cruise passengers who think these guys are their personal slaves for the week. And I'm sure that there are unfortunately people who stiff them on their tips each week. So before you think about withholding part of their tips, think about this. Would you want to do their job for a week for $40-$50 dollars? I saw into some of the cabins these guys had to clean. Total pig pens. Would you want to hear complaints from picky people all week about their meat being over or under-cooked? Or listen to people saying bring me this or that, and never once saying please? They do it, day in and day out, smiling and maintaining a pleasant disposition the whole time. Believe me from some of things I saw, these guys totally deserve their tips. The whole tip!